Richard came to this country in the ship Elizabeth, William Andrews, master, in 1634. He appears to have gone, soon after landing, to Watertown, Mass. He settled in a different part of the town from that occupied by Henry Kemball (1). According to Bond and other writers Richard and Henry were brothers. There is but little evidence to support this supposition, and it seems to be mainly founded on the fact that they both came over on the same vessel. Richard is said on the shipping list to be thirty-nine years old, but he was probably somewhat older. He was, however, in the prime of life, and soon became a prominent and active man in the new settlement.
He first settled in Watertown, and his home lot is thus given by Dr. Henry Bond: "Richard Kimball, six acres, bounded on the north by Cambridge, east by the land of W. Hamlet, south by the highway, and west by land of Edward White."
This lot was situated a long way from the centre of the town. It is now in Cambridge, which many years ago annexed the eastern part of Watertown. The lot was situated near what is now the corner of Huron avenue and Appleton street, and near springs of water.
He was proclaimed freeman on 6 May 1635, and was a proprietor in 1636-7. Soon after this date he was invited to remove to Ipswich, where they were in need of a competent man to act as wheelwright to the new settlement. Here he spent the remainder of his days. The town granted him a house lot, 23 Feb 1637, "next adjoining Goodwin Simons at the west end of the town." He was also granted at the same time "40 acres Beyond the North Riuer near the land of Robert Scott." In 1639 he had liberty to pasture "two cows free." On "the last day of the last month 1641" he is mentioned as "Among the Commoners of Ipswich." He was appointed one of the seven men on 1 Mar 1645. On the "22nd day of the tenth mo. 1647" he was allowed two Pounds for killing two foxes.
His services as wheelwright were appreciated by his townspeople, for he was permitted in January, 1649, "to fell such White Oaks as he hath occasion to use about his trade for the town use."
19 Dec 1648, he contributed with others three shillings as his annual proportion toward the sum of £27, 7s, as a rate for the service of their military leader, Major David Dennison, then commander of the military forces of Essex and Norfolk counties.
In September, 1652, he was one of the appraisers of the estate of John Cross, one of the earliest settlers of Ipswich.
On the "25th day, 11 mo 1652," he and his son Richard, Wheelwrights, "for £14, seel 30 acres upland bounding on the land of Mr. John Winthrop," also another lot of land of ten acres of "medow." 1653 he was one of a committee of three to survey fences in the common fields north of the river. His brother-in-law, Thomas Scott, died Feb. 1653-4 and he was joint executor with Edmund Bridges of his will. On May 25, 1654, their official position was recognized by Thomas Scott, Jr., then a resident of Stamford, Conn.
In 1660 he was granted the right "to fell 20 white oak trees to make wheels for the townsmen their use." In 1664 he owned 43 shares in "Plumb Island."
Richard Kimball was of the parish of
Rattlesden, county of Suffolk, England, as is shown by the following entry on the parish
register:
" Henry Kemball ye sonne of Richard and Vrsula
his wife baptized 1615 12 of August."
Ursula Scott, Richard's first wife, and mother of all his children, was the daughter of Henry Scott of Rattlesden. The Scott family had been in Suffolk county almost as long as the Kemball family. George Scott, grandfather of Henry, was buried at Bradsfield, St. George, 30 Aug 1562. Ursula was baptised at Rattlesden 14 Feb 1596-7, and married Richard Kemball in 1613. The will of Henry Scott, Ursula's father, serves to establish the relationship between the families.
"To Abigale Kemball my grandchild twenty shillings to be paid at 21 to Henrie Kemball my grandchild twenty shillings to be paid at 21 to Elizabeth Kemball my grandchild twenty shillings to be paid at 21 to Richard Kemball my grandchild twenty shillings to be paid at 21." He also mentions his wife Martha, and sons Roger and Thomas Scott. Thomas Scott came with his wife, Elizabeth (Strutt) Scott and children to this country on the same vessel as Richard and his family, and they brought Martha (Whatlock) Scott with them. Elizabeth Strutt was also of Rattlesden; her parents were probably Christopher and Anne (Waller) Strutt. She married Thomas Scott at Rattlesden, 20 Jul 1620. Among the children of Thomas Scott was Elizabeth, bapt. 18 Nov 1623, in Suffolk, and given in the shipping list as 9 years of age. This Elizabeth Scott married in Rowley, MA in 1647, John Spofford, from an ancient Yorkshire family (pre-dating 106, according to the records). John Spofford was the son of another John Spofford, who, in 1662, lost his ministery in Silkston, Yorkshire for "non-conformity." He was, of course, a Puritan. A daughter of John and Elizabeth (Scott) Spofford, Sarah Spofford, born 22 Mar 1661-2, married Richard Kimball(3). The passengers on the Elizabeth were very much an inter-related group; it also included Munnings, undoubtedly related to Richard Kimball.
Henry Scott's will was made "24 Sept. 1625 in the 21st year of James of England by Henry Scott of Rattlesden in the Co. of Suffolk and the diocese of Norwich." It was proved in the court of the Arch deacon of Sudbury 10 January 1624-5. As Thomas Scott settled in Ipswich this may have had some influence in causing Richard's removal from Watertown. Henry Scott was buried in Rattlesden 24 Dec. 1624. (Parish Register.)
Ursula (Scott) Kimball apparently died in Ipswich 1 Mar 1660, although another record gives her death as 17 June 1656. Richard Kimball married second, 23 Oct 1661, Margaret (Cole) Dow, widow of Henry Dow of Hamptom, New Hampshire. There were no children from this marriage, although, from his will, Richard evidently held Margaret Dow's children from her first marriage in great affection. (NEW&GR), (Hotten), (Spofford)